Identification of video storage media

Abstract

A method of generating data for identifying a video storage media comprising the steps of (1) generating from the contents of the media a data sequence representing the picture and/or the audio and/or data content of the video medium, (2) combining said data sequence with position information and/or picture and/or text and/or data or other information. It also provides a system for controlling a video recorder or other media device for selective enabling and disabling of associated functions. A graphical user interface is adapted to display information relating to television program content and/or data content from other sources such as the Internet and video recorder or other media device content and to display information relating to one or more video tapes or other media contents.

1. A closed loop video recorder or other media device control system for determining the status of a video recorder or other remote media device, the system comprising a status subsystem to (1) issue signals or data comprising a play command or code or sequence, (2) perform a verification that said signals or data are received by the video recorder or other remote media device, and (3) use said verification or an absence of said verification to determine if said video recorder or other remote media device is powered on, wherein the status subsystem checks whether the tape or media position is substantially unchanged from a predetermined position, and issues a record command or code or sequence in response thereto. 
     
     
       2. A closed loop video recorder or other media device control system for determining the status of a video recorder or other remote media device, the system comprising a status subsystem to (1) issue signals or data comprising a play command or code or sequence, (2) perform a verification that said signals or data are received by the video recorder or other remote media device, and (3) use said verification or an absence of said verification to determine if said video recorder or other remote media device is powered on, wherein the status subsystem verifies whether the signals or data received from said video recorder or other remote media device correspond to a selected program designated for recording. 
     
     
       3. A method for controlling a video recorder or other remote media device for selective enabling and disabling of associated functions, comprising the steps of: (1) periodically assessing the presence or content of signals and/or data output from said video recorder or other remote media device to determine if the device is operating, (2) determining if said video recorder or other remote media device is scheduled and/or permitted to operate at the time of assessing the signals and/or data, (3) if required, issuing a command or code or sequence to disable said video recorder or other remote media device by a power off command and/or a stop command and/or a pause or other command, and (4) checking that a tape associated with the video recorder or a media position associated with the other remote media device is substantially unchanged from a predetermined position to determine if the video recorder or other remote media device has been operated since the predetermined position. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 3  further comprising the step of verifying whether signals or data received from the video recorder or other remote media device correspond to a selected program designated for recording.